Delhi Turned Into Fortress Ahead of CJP Protest, Jairam Ramesh Alleges

Congress general secretary and communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh on Saturday accused the Centre of turning Delhi into a fortress ahead of a proposed protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the government was unsettled by young people raising concerns over their constitutional right to vote.

In a post on X, Ramesh claimed that armed security personnel had been deployed across the national Capital to prevent a peaceful demonstration by young people concerned about alleged manipulation of electoral rolls.

“The nation’s capital has been turned into a fortress. Armed security personnel are all over the place,” he wrote, alleging that the Prime Minister and Home Minister were nervous about the proposed protest.

Ramesh also targeted CEC Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of acting at the behest of the government and demanding his resignation. He referred to the December 2023 law governing the appointment of election commissioners, alleging that it had been passed in Parliament after the suspension of 145 Opposition MPs.

Calling for Kumar’s resignation, the Congress leader said it was necessary to restore public confidence in democratic institutions. He also demanded the suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming that the exercise had already disenfranchised more than 13 crore Indians.

The allegations were made ahead of a proposed demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the All India Students’ Association (AISA) at Jantar Mantar. The groups have called for action against the CEC over allegations of voter-list manipulation.

Security arrangements have been intensified across Delhi, with more than 20,000 police personnel and members of the Central Armed Police Forces deployed to maintain law and order.

Entry and exit gates at 45 Delhi Metro stations have been closed since Friday night, while train services to two major railway stations in the city have been cancelled. Police have also stepped up surveillance amid concerns over a possible large-scale mobilisation, with permission for the proposed protest yet to be granted.

The heightened security comes amid lingering tensions following earlier protests over alleged NEET examination paper leaks and the police action surrounding those demonstrations.